John
You make a good point - the pound/dollar conversion is not helping much! However, every London auction I go to I buy for American clients or advise Americans who by there themselves. I also sell a lot of guns to American clients.
Americans are still buying guns at British auctions, despite the conversion rate.
I also hope we can gather plenty of lots in the USA - then American collectors and gun dealers can buy them without worrying about the exchange rate and perhaps some will be bought by Brits and re-patriated. Afterall, the Brits (both Trade and Private) who buy in London auctions don't worry about the exchange rate for home consumption.
Also, guns coming back from the USA for re-sale in London auctions attract VAT of 17% on top of commission at £20% and VAT on commission at 17%.
That makes 40% of the London sale of the gun gone in charges - you sell your re-import in the UK and the buyer bids £1000; you get £850, the buyer pays £1,400.
That gives us some margin to play with.
There are plenty of British guns in the USA and we so, as I say hope to collect a good deal of those. We will also sell American guns, collected 'in-country'.
BTW, I have just taken in a Purdey bar-in-wood 20-bore hammer gun. I bet it sells to an American collector.
